Life inside the Tea Bungalows

All those who have lived in the tea gardens will have memories of hilarious incidents arising partly out of the worker's ignorance and a propensity to find some favour with his 'Saab' or 'Memsaab'. A friend of ours had some guests staying over at their bungalow. The hosts had to attend to something urgent and therefore instructed the bungalow staff to take good care of the guests in their absence, Dinner was served to the guests and everything seemed to move according to plan. When the guests asked if they'd be served some pudding, the bearer returned with the host's pet dog in his arms. The puzzled silence was broken with -"Saab, Pudding". The pet's name was Pudding ! The horrified guest then needed to specify- " Yeh nahin, khane wala pudding chahiye !"
On one occasion, my father got back from work on a rainy day and asked the bearer to keep his wet shoes in the boiler room. Those days the bungalows had boiler rooms that provided hot water and usually had the old English cooking ovens in the same room. It was an extension of the kitchen and was a good place to dry clothes during monsoons. So my father said to the bearer, " Isko garam mein rakho ". While going out for work again in the evening, my father inquired about the shoes. Confidently, the bearer skipped in with the shoes and placed it in front of his Saab. My father wore them alright and they still felt nice and warm. When he took the first few steps, the shoes felt lighter; the soles had come off with the heat ! Soon , it was understood that the bearer had put them into the oven thinking they'd dry up faster !!!
Most tea bungalows had a steady supply of fresh milk from the Jersey cows kept within the premises. One morning, as my mother sat in the verandah sipping her cup of garden fresh tea, the ' Maali' came to her and reported- " Memsaab, gai garam ho gaya hain ." My mother was still getting used to the terms of reference in the estates as she had grown up in rather cosmopolitan defence cantonments. She replied saying, " uske upar pani dalo." The Maali stood still and repeated the status.Finally, some brain storming with the Ayah revealed that the cow was on heat and so, necessary arrangements had to be made !!
We were always surrounded by a battery of servants, and like I said earlier, one could be thoroughly pampered by it. Yet, I always saw my mother engaging in a host of activities that would surprisingly consume her time in a most fulfilling way. The bungalow maintenance and upkeep was not a mean task. The brass fittings on doors and other artefacts , the wood work and the large glass doors and windows needed polishing and cleaning at least twice a month. The lawn had to look manicured at all times with a decent lay out of seasonal flowers. So, days were assigned for each task and my mother took personal care to see that these were performed meticulously. My mother often went swimming and played tennis at the club. Most Managers' Bungalows have swimming pools.  One could call it an active life in an idyllic setting. You had the option to indulge in great sports- soccer, cricket, tennis swimming and golf or, you could just 'stop to smell the roses in your garden.' The lovely flowers and potted plants that were planted and nurtured would make their way to the Flower Shows as priceless exhibits.
Life was wonderful and never for a moment, dull. As a child, I was showered with  much of love and care. Today, I can only express my gratitude to all the people who played a role in raising me. I don't know how many of those caregivers and helpers are still alive, but I'd like to express my thanks for the happiness they brought to me and my family.